Adverse Inverse
by Cef Havoc
Summary: From Coldman9: "A random thought I had. What if Souji opted to face Adachi alone, and left his friends goodbyes. Because as much as they're different, they're the same, Adachi is his inverse." NOT MINE. Posting this for my friend, Coldman 9.


Cef: Here I am again. Coldman9 has, once again, asked me to publish this for him. So if you can please direct yourself to his account to read his other stories, we'd both be grateful.

We do not own Persona 4, that's Atlus territory. We do, however, kidnap the characters for the our fanfics sometimes. Wait, did I say kidnap? I mean borrow. Yeah, borrow...

Coldman: Please know I only take ¼(one fourth) responsibility for what comes out of my head.

Cef: I DO, however, take full responsibility for posting this. And now I shall force-feed Coldy some cupcakes. Enjoi~

-0-0-0-0-0-

_**Adverse Inverse**_

_December 21, 2012_

The fog was still there when he awoke that morning, as it had been for the past two months. Though, it felt like a lot longer. As he routinely went about his morning cleanings, Souji wondered when the last time he saw a clear sky was. It was before Nanako and Dojima had landed in the hospital.

Souji stopped, the memory of his cousin, practically his little sister, and the uncle that was more of a father and older brother figure mixed into one, making his grip on the skillet tighten as he cooked his breakfast. The sight of Nanako lying dead in the hospital bed still made him cry in his nightmares. Dojima was in no better shape either, the fog wasn't helping anything, the town was half crazy at this point, and Souji could tell it was only getting worse and worse. Suddenly, the smell the burning food entered his nose, making him quickly move the skillet from the stovetop.

"Shit!" he cursed, dumping the ruined food into the trash. He settled for some leftovers of his dinner from the night before.

After his breakfast was finished Souji made his way out the door. As he locked the house for the day, he took a minute to stand at the end of the walkway and take in the sight, slipping on his glasses for a clear view. Eight months, after eight months it was more of a home than any place he had ever lived with his parents. He had history there, good memories, and left an imprint that wouldn't just be painted over or forgotten as an eyesore for the next inhabitants moving in.

Souji turned away, slipping a letter into the mailbox as he walked down the street. But when it came time to turn to school, he didn't. Instead of taking the usual left, he took a right, leading right to the Junes department store. He knew what he was going to do today. He had decided a while ago about what he was going to do.

Adachi was in the TV world, just waiting. Waiting for him and his friends to arrive. What he didn't know is that his only opponent would be Souji. Or maybe that's exactly what he had planned. Souji didn't really know, he may have been smart but he wasn't omnipotent. He was a good leader, and he had learned to read people, but Adachi was just as good, and could mask himself much like Souji.

He took a moment to look up the road, seeing a familiar sign a few feet away. He was walking at a leisurely pace, enough time to think back over everything as he made his way to Junes.

It was a truth Souji had learned to face often in his life, the fact that he wore masks to hide himself from the people around him. He never knew them for long, and the only ones that really approached him at first were the ones seeking to make themselves appear better by befriending the popular kid. It was a dance had done often as he and his parents moved around the country. A few here and there were always the exception, but it didn't change the fact that he was always alone. Through those masks he had learned to read people as well, and adapted them to suite what it was people wanted to see.

And Adachi's were just as good as his. He was what everybody wanted to see, a clumsy but friendly idiot that you just couldn't help but be open with. The friend you wanted and would back you up when the time came.

And Souji was jealous, while Adachi only wore one mask; Souji still had several to put on. His friends always needed him to be what they needed, to help make them stronger. And while he considered them true friends, people he'd put his life on the line for, there was only one who had ever managed to see past his masks to the real him. She had learned to put on masks herself in her life, which is why she managed to catch onto him. Before he knew what had happened, they were in his room, and she had stripped his masks away. But he had never expected her to smile at his true self, to silence his hesitant words with her own lips.

She loved him _because_ of that, not in spite of it. He had been shocked at that fact, so shocked he hadn't been able to react even as she left, telling him she'd await his response.

Souji found himself smiling as he rounded the corner, Junes looming in the distance. To say he was nervous would be an understatement, he was going in today with no backup. His friends were probably at school, just now finding the letters he had left for them in their shoe lockers the afternoon before. But he wouldn't let them face Adachi, not when it was his duty.

Though he had talked to them all as they traversed Magetsu Inaba, he had secretly talked constantly to Souji. Through it all, Souji had come to an unsettling revelation, Adachi was pretty much his inverse. Something similar in nature yet totally opposite. Like heaven and hell, light and dark. While they both held Personae, both wore masks, and both could read people, Adachi had let his loneliness drive into a pit of darkness and insanity while Souji had held strong, waiting for the day he would make true friends to bond with.

And while Adachi was standing in the TV world, waiting to fill the human world with fog and turn them all into Shadows, Souji was marching forward to protect them all and save humanity.

Souji stopped in front of the large TV the Investigation Team had used all year to go back and forth between worlds. The screen was off, but as Souji stared it wasn't his reflection that stared back. Adachi watched him, smiling that crazed smile of his from the black screen. Souji was half tempted to put his fist through the screen to break it, but he doubted that was possible anymore, his fist would simply go through to the other world. So with a sigh, he stepped forward and went through, ready for what was awaiting him on the other side.

-0-

"Hey, where's Souji?" Yosuke asked, looking around the shoe lockers for his silver haired friend, "He usually catches us on our way to school."

"Maybe he got here early." Chie commented, slipping on her school shoes, "He's been burying himself in his studying and fighting Shadows since Nanako-chan and Dojima-san wound up in the hospital." She turned back to slip in her own shoes, and noticed the letter lying down. A small amount of red made its way to her face as she carefully took the letter out.

"What the hell is this?" Yosuke asked, taking out a similar white envelope from his own box. The Magician and Chariot looked at each other before turning to Yukiko and seeing her pull out another one.

"Geez, what a heck of a time to be putting letters in our shoe lockers." Chie sighed, wondering who it was that was trying to get her attention, but also curious as to how they could all receive similar letters.

"'Open at lunchtime." Yukiko read off the front, prompting Yosuke and Chie to look at their, both with the same words.

"Ah, I see you've all received the same letters Senpais." Came the calm voice of Naoto.

The three older students looked to see the three younger students of their group in front of the bulletin board, all holding the same white envelopes in their free hands. The friends made a small circle and held out their letters, all looking them over curiously.

"Why would whoever put these in here want us to open them at lunch?" Chie questioned.

"Maybe something important is supposed to happen at lunch." Yosuke mused.

"Has no one else noticed that the writing of the letters is all similar?" Naoto said, "Meaning it was the same person who gave these all to us."

"R-really?" Chie questioned, holding her letter beside Yosuke and Yukiko's. It was true, the writing was similar.

"Souji." Yukiko said after a moment, causing everyone to look at her, "It's Souji's hand-writing."

"I could understand Souji-senpai leaving a letter in _my_ locker, but all of ours?" Rise mused, earning a short glare from Yukiko that went unnoticed.

"Whatever the matter, it's almost time for classes to start, and I believe we all owe it to Souji-senpai to obey his wishes and open these at lunch." Naoto stated, calmly putting her letter in a pocket of her book bag.

With a couple of shrugs and nods of the head, the entire group stored their own letters and moved on to class. It surprised Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko not to see their leader in class, but they brushed it off. He was incredibly distracted, and had more to deal with that most people should have. After all, it wasn't like he was the kind to put himself in danger alone.

-0-

Souji held a frown on his face as his feet crunched against the gravel streets of Magetsu Inaba. The red and black stripped sky overhead was as ominous as ever, adding to his rather nervous mood. He was glad the Shadows left him alone; he was hoping Adachi would just be willing to face him.

It had been on the team's last trip to the hellish version of their town, as he left he spoke back to the voice Adachi had going in his head. He told Adachi he was going to be coming back, alone, to settle things one-on-one with the former detective. Adachi was silent for a moment and then laughed, telling him he'd make sure the way was clear. And Adachi had held true to his word, not even talking to Souji as he traversed the pathways, eventually coming to final gateway; a circle, floating a few feet off the ground and covered with police tape, barring entrance.

Souji reached down to his left and drew his sword from its sheath. It was the sword he had found after defeating Death the first time. It was different, and somewhat hard to use when he had become used to wielding katanas. But it was lightweight and incredibly strong, and Souji quickly adapted. Even after numerous battles, the edge was still sharp and the blade still shone in the eerie light.

He held the blade up in the air before bringing it down, cutting vertically through the police tape. The tape seemed to be more solid than it appeared, but eventually broke into sections and faded into dust, drifting away on a non-existent wind. Without sheathing his sword, Souji stepped up into the circle, and then stepped through. The scenery changed suddenly, from the dim town and stripped sky to the sky being below them, and everything overhead nothing but orange.

He was at the end of a long pathway seeming to float in the sky before it ended in a rather large area, Souji just barely able to make out a figure standing at the end. His eyes narrowed as he calmly walked down the path, his left hand in his pocket as he balanced his blade on his right shoulder, careful not to cut into himself. A glowing blue butterfly kept pace with him for a short while, the same butterfly that he had seen before all of his other encounters with people's Shadows. At first he had always thought they were thee by coincidence, and not the same butterfly, but after so long, Souji had learned to cast off logic when it came to this world, and there was always something inside him that said it was the same butterfly.

Just before he reached the end, the butterfly landed on his shoulder, as if giving him silent encouragement, then flew off into the orange sky. Souji silently thanked the butterfly for sticking by him until the end, he didn't understand why, but it was comforting.

'_Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!_'

"Congratulations." Adachi said, turning around and giving Souji his crazed smile, "You came… and alone at that." He sounded impressed.

"I told you I would didn't I?" Souji retorted, glaring at the man before him.

"You did, you did." Adachi nodded, "But what's with that look? You look like you wanna kill me. What have I ever done to you? ... Y'know, besides the whole killing Yamano and Konishi thing?" Souji only narrowed his eyes more, increasing the intensity of his glare, "Oh? … Oh! I see." Adachi chuckled a little, "You're blaming me for Nanako and Dojima. You wanna put all that blame on me eh?" Adachi held up a finger and waved it side to side, "Uh uh uh, don't go blaming me for you not being strong enough."

"Shut up!" Souji yelled, reaching into the right side of his jacket and pulling out a revolver, pointing it right at Adachi, "It wasn't because I wasn't strong enough; it was because you manipulated Namatame into doing your dirty work for you."

"Oooooooooh." Adachi let out an impressed sound, eyeing the revolver, "Found Dojima's back-up revolver did you? Souji, you've been a bad boy. Don't you know there's a reason only police are allowed to legally carry guns?"

Souji blinked and missed the action of Adachi reaching into his own jacket and pulling out a similar gun. The barrel was slightly longer and it was obviously used more often than the one Dojima had hidden away in the house. What was more; Adachi obviously knew how to use his better. Souji had only borrowed and shot Naoto's a few times, just wanting to get the basics down while he could. Dojima's was heavier than Naoto's, his aim was sure to be off. But that didn't deter Souji in the least; he kept his own pistol held up at Adachi, glaring at the amused look on his enemy's face.

"Tell me something Souji." Adachi said, breaking the silence of the stalemate, "Why did you do it? Why did you agree to be the leader of your little ragtag gang of do-gooder teens?"

"…. Because it was my duty." Souji answered, "Namatame was unknowingly putting people in danger, and someone had to save them."

"Don't give me that bullshit!" Adachi spat out, his face becoming disgusted, "Nobody's that damn noble."

"What do you want me to say? I did it so my little 'ragtag gang of do-gooder teens' would adore me? No, I had no idea our group would grow into what it did when I started. But I never had to face a Shadow to gain my Persona, I never had to reveal myself to my friends, and I was able to enter TVs when I first arrived. As far as can tell, it meant that I was supposed to do something with the power I was given."

"And you chose to play the hero."

"Well apparently the villain role was already taken."

"Oh oh." Adachi burst out in laughter, still holding his gun up with accuracy, "He had jokes now? The strong silent hero is making jokes."

"What kind of possibilities does a world like this hold?" Souji looked around, "It's filled with Shadows that attack anyone with the ability to come here."

"The possibilities of this world are endless!" Adachi looked up at the sky, "Whenever someone first arrives, the area they land in changes to reflect their reality. But what if you can control that change? I'd be able to turn this hell of Inaba into that heavenly paradise little Nanako conjured up. I could change this entire world into whatever I wanted."

"You just want to play god." Souji hissed.

"And what's wrong with that? If anyone has the right, it's us."

"Us?" Souji questioned, his glare gone as he stared in shock and curiosity.

"Yeah, us. We never had to face our Shadows to get this power; we were able to come to this world on our own, from the very beginning. We're unique, we're _special_. You can change your Persona at will, changing your strengths, weaknesses, even how you fight in battle. And as for me, this world obviously accepts me, it gives me strength."

Souji was quiet, shocked at what was coming from Adachi's mouth. And somewhere, deep down inside, it resonated with him. He was always praised as the smartest in class, the most popular, the most understanding. Hell, some people even thought of him as perfect, and he knew it. But like before, it wasn't him that they saw, it was the mask he put on for them. He may be special, but that didn't make him god, and just like all the other times in his life where that feeling bubbled up, he pushed it back down.

"Just because we're special doesn't give us the right to lord over people." Adachi's face fell at Souji's words, "If anything, we have a responsibility to help them because we're special."

"That's why I fucking hate you." Adachi snarled, his face becoming contorted with rage, "You're popular, smart, and oh so damn lucky, and all you wanna do is waste it on those idiots below us." Souji caught Adachi's grip on the trigger tighten, "I've always had to work my ass off for what I got, and you just get it handed to you on a silver platter. It's not fair, I stand where you are because of my hard work, and you're telling me to waste it on the people that tried to hold me back?"

"I still have to work for what I get as well." Souji's glare returned, and he tightened his grip on the revolver as well, "Nothing's just handed to me. You're just mad because I'm not telling you what you want to hear. Well too bad, I'm not putting on a mask for you Adachi."

"You little shit." Souji would only watch in astonishment as black particles gather around Adachi, giving him a dark aura.

There was a flash, and suddenly Adachi's eyes where shining yellow. His hair seemed to spike up and his voice echoed slightly. But what surprised Souji was that fact that he was still in human form, not becoming a grotesque perversion of his inner self. But he was even more surprised to see a Persona appear behind the man, a red and black version of Izanagi holding his sword backwards and by its end.

"Screw you! I'll kill you off right here and now and stand over everyone in the new world when everyone becomes Shadows!"

"That's what the fog's for, to turn everyone into Shadows?" Souji questioned, glaring at the man.

"You can watch it as you rot in hell."

-0-

The Investigation Team stood around on the roof, their lunches completely forgotten as they each pulled out the letters Souji had left for them. Well, it _was_ lunchtime, and the letters did say to open at lunch.

There was a silence as everyone looked at each other, unsure about what was going on. It broke when Yosuke tore open his letter, prompting everyone else to follow. Yosuke found a single sheet of folded paper inside, he opened it hesitantly and read.

_Yosuke_

_Before I start, I want you to know you've been the best friend I've ever had. I mean it when I say that, I've always had people surround me in my other schools, but they only knew me as the popular new student, we've been through a whole lot more, and I know that even after I leave, we'll still be friends._

_As for why you're reading this letter right now and why I'm not in school today:_

_I've gone off to face Adachi alone._

_I know you're probably making some sort of face at that, and probably calling me crazy, but I did this with you and everyone else in mind. Adachi . . . is like me. I've always put on a mask when we've hung out, that's the reason you've always seen me as the perfect friend. Adachi put on a mask to deceive us all as well. His power is probably like mine as well, he never had to face his Shadow to get the power to enter the TV world._

_If I have to put it into words, I'd say he's like my inverse, my anti-thesis. _I'm _the one who has to face him, and I would never forgive myself if any of you got hurt in that fight._

_I remember the times we've hung out, how you confided in me about everything that was bothering you. And when your Persona changed, it only proved how you yourself had changed. Be proud of yourself, hold your head up high; you're the _you_ you've always wanted to be._

_Souji_

_P.S. If I don't come back from this, take care of Nanako and Teddie. I promise, if nothing else I'll take Adachi with me._

Yosuke stared down at the letter in his hands, his eyes wide with disbelief. Was Souji being serious, had he really gone in to fight Adachi by himself! No, that was stupid, and Souji wasn't stupid. They were his friends; they were there to back him up, no matter what.

He looked around, seeing all his friends still looking over their letters. He moved over to Kanji, reading as best he could around the tall boy. It was different, written in simpler terms for the blonde boy to understand, but it pretty much said the same thing. He moved over to Naoto, her letter filled with a multitude of big words whose definitions were lost on the Hanamura boy, but he assumed it was the same thing. He finally came to Chie, reading her letter over her shoulder; it was similar to Kanji's, though with another P.S. added at the bottom; something about Kou Ichijo.

"That idiot!" Kanji roared after the letter had sunk in, "What the hell was he thinkin', going in by himself. It's stupider than when Naoto used herself as bait."

"I guess . . . Souji-senpai thought he was doing what was best." Naoto stayed calm, though it was obvious she was finding it hard to accept what had happened, "And while I don't agree _entirely_ with Kanji-kun's statement." She shot him a glare that caused Kanji to take a step back, "It was quite moronic of him."

"H-Hold up." Yosuke said, putting on a nervous smile, "Souji isn't stupid like that. This has just got to be some sort of sick joke." The looks he got in return told him no one else thought so, "Look, I'll just give him a call on his cell okay. That should clear everything up."

As Yosuke reached in his pocket to get his phone, he couldn't help but notice how everyone was staring intently at him except for Yukiko. She didn't seem to be able to tear her eyes away from the paper in front of her. It almost looked like she was about to cry. Finally Yosuke pulled out his phone and flipped it open, surprised to see he had a voicemail from Souji. He voiced that very thought aloud.

"How the hell did you not know you had a voicemail from Souji-senpai!" Rise snapped, throwing a glare at Yosuke.

"I woke up late today, I was in a rush to school." Yosuke defended, "Look, this is probably important, I'll put it on speaker and we can all listen."

Everyone formed a tight circle again as Yosuke held his phone so everyone could hear.

"_No Yosuke, this isn't some sort of sick joke._" Came Souji's voice from the phone, shocking everyone, "_If you're wondering how this is happening, I knew you'd be late for school today, you always are. Then you wouldn't have time to check your phone in case of anything, and after reading my letter you'd try and get in contact with me in the hopes that I haven't really gone to face Adachi alone … I have._"

"_It's exactly as I said in all of your letters. I knew you'd all either go with me or try to talk me out of it, so I left by myself. I want you all to really understand that you've been the best friends I've ever had, this year I've spent with you, I'll never forget it, and not just because of the murders. You should all be proud of how you've grown."_

"…_.. Yukiko."_ Said girl tore her eyes off her letter to stare at the phone, "_I know I'm going into this without a chance of coming out alive. I … I just want you know … I .. I lo-_" and the message was cut off.

There was silence as everyone took in the fact that Souji had actually left to fight Adachi by himself. Yosuke managed to look up, and saw Yukiko's silent tears.

"That…" she hung her head low, "That idiot!" she yelled, letting more tears out.

"Well hey, we're talking like it's too late already." Kanji said, looking at everyone, "We could still make it in time to help him."

"Kanji-kun, Souji-senpai, despite his actions, is quite intelligent. He'd had left for Adachi while we were all arriving at school." Naoto pointed out.

The only sound was Yukiko crying and Chie trying to calm her down. Yosuke closed his phone, but felt his fingers closing tightly around the plastic as he squeezed it.

"Well I'll be damned if I just stand around doing nothing." He ground out, catching everyone's attention now, "Screw school, screw time, I'm going." And marched towards the door off the roof.

Kanji stared after his senpai for a moment before following, a determination to do something etched on his face. Rise was next after a moment, her eyes set dead ahead with a new determination.

"If he thinks he's getting off easy from this, he has another thing coming." Yukiko growled, scaring Chie and Naoto into taking a step away from her before she turned and left as well.

The two girls left gave each other a look before following and catching up with group as they quickly made their way through the streets to Junes. Yosuke gave Teddie a call to meet them at the electronics department. No one hesitated as they jumped through the TV, none willing to believe they were too late to save their leader.

-0-

Souji and Adachi were panting heavily as they started at each other, both wearing multiple injuries from the fight. Adachi had surprised Souji by pulling a knife during their fight, and managing to put up a good fight against Souji's sword with it. The blade was five inches long, and Adachi held it in his left hand, the blade on the opposite side of his hand than his thump.

The second the fight had started Souji felt Tam Lin's automatic buffing kick in, making him faster, stronger, and tougher. Adachi had started firing his gun, but Souji was able to move his sword and block, the copper too soft to stand against the steel and getting cast off harmlessly.

Souji had managed to get in close, but Adachi was quick and managed to get out of the way of most of the sword swings, only receiving superficial cuts that tore up his jacket. Magetsu Izanagi had leapt in front of his user, swinging his own sword erratically. Souji was forced back on the defensive, firing off a few shots close range. Adachi took the opportunity to snip from a distance, nicking Souji's shoulder twice, then had his Izanagi cast Heat Raiser on him.

With their skills equal, he pulled Magetsu Izanagi back, preparing for another attack. Souji sliced through the card that appeared before him, summoning Tam Lin into the battle. The Persona shot forward, moving to strike at Adachi, but it was a feint and Tam Lin dodged around Adachi as he raised his arms to block, engaging Magetsu Izanagi. While the Persona fought Souji shot off some more at Adachi. The former detective felt one come perilously close as it deeply grazed over his ear, causing blood to flow down the side of his face and irking him.

Adachi returned fire as he moved to the side, satisfied that he managed to cut Souji's sword hand, seeing a few drops of blood fall to the ground.

It continued on in that fashion for a little, Souji having to switch from Tam Lin to Loki for a bombardment of powerful ice magic when Adachi was too far out of reach. He managed to freeze up part of the former detective's leg, slowing him down a bit. When he moved to strike at close range again, that was when Adachi pulled out the knife from his back, managing to stab Souji in his right arm. Even though he couldn't use his sword, Souji took the opportunity to shoot Adachi in the leg. The Personae met each other just above the two, the force of their strike meeting each other pushing the two humans away from each other.

Souji quickly changed to Koryu, using Diarama to seal up all his injuries and the Persona's high magic to send a Megadoleon at Adachi. There was a bright flash, and Souji only just managed to dodge as Magetsu Izanagi shot out of the light, swiping at his head before stepping forward and stabbing down. Souji blocked the second strike and nailed the dark Persona with a Ziodyne, paralyzing it for a few seconds. Unfortunately, when Souji turned back to Adachi, he was right in the man's line of fire. There seemed to be a split second stop in time as Souji raised his own gun.

It was incredible to see their bullets collide with each other then fall harmlessly to the ground. But the second their shots at each other were over, Souji felt his stat boosts drop. In the span of a breath, Adachi was in front of him, his leg not seeming to bother him in the least. Souji changed from Koryu to Yoshitsune, not feeling any damage from any of Adachi's attacks; unfortunately Adachi caught on quickly and pelted him with some magic from Magetsu Izanagi. Souji cast Heat Raiser on himself after the magic, then charged in again.

After more traded blows and attacks, they found themselves where they were now, glaring at each other and trying to push their injuries out of their mind. Souji couldn't call Koryu, he was low and couldn't afford to uselessly cast magic anymore, even to heal himself. It was bothersome, none of the wounds he gave Adachi seemed to affect him in the slightest, his leg was still bleeding from where Souji had shot him, but it didn't impair his ability to move. Souji himself had a rather nasty gash that was seeable through his cut up jacket arm, courtesy of the knife. He kept Yoshitsune out, while he couldn't heal and was vulnerable to whatever magic Magetsu Izanagi got out at him, it kept whatever Adachi did minimal. Even still, he was worn down and near his end.

"What's the matter kid, you quitting?" Adachi shot out, his distorted voice seeming to hold even more malice.

"Never." Souji replied, taking a deep breath. '_I guess it's time to put him to the test._'

Adachi tensed up as a glowing card spun and floated in front of Souji, Yoshitsune's card. After a final spin it disappeared. Another card cam floating down and Souji swung his sword up, shattering it. Yoshitsune disappeared from behind him and was replaced by Souji's Izanagi.

Souji didn't know what it was, but he always felt stronger and more in tuned with Izanagi than any other Persona. Maybe it was because he had never had to fight a battle for him, because he was the original in Souji's soul when he first gained his Persona power. Whatever it was, Souji knew he wanted to take Izanagi into this battle with him. It had taken a lot of fusion to get just the right skills and multiple trips through the other dungeons to increase his power, but Souji was sure it was worth it. Adachi was his inverse, with an inverse Izanagi. Souji thought it was a little poetic they were going to go Izanagi against Izanagi now.

"Don't screw with me Souji!" Adachi yelled angrily, "I've been watching you and your friends, that's your weakest Persona!"

"Then why don't attack?" Souji challenged, his voice calm and even, but his gaze hard.

Adachi clenched his teeth before sending off a bolt of dark electricity from Magetsu Izanagi. Souji cast Heat Raiser on himself, and dodged to left a second before the magic connected. Adachi's eyes went wide for a moment before settling back into a glare. The second Souji's feet touched the ground again he dashed forward at Adachi, Izanagi right above and behind him. Souji felt like he was gliding across the ground, and maybe he was. Magetsu Izanagi shot forward to intercept, as did Izanagi. The two Persona clashed, their blades sending off sparks as they met. Souji's gliding stopped but he still managed to quickly close the distance between himself and Adachi.

As Souji attacked with his sword, Adachi blocked with his knife and brought his gun to point blank range at Souji's forehead. The silverette swiftly moved out of the way, bringing his own up at Adachi. As the two circled each other, attacking with their blade and shooting, they didn't notice how their Personas were mimicking their movements, in perfect time, shots of magic replacing gun shots. Even without the commands of their users the two Personas knew to fight, their instincts telling each to end the other. They continued in that way, both Personas and human's becoming faster and faster until they were nothing but blurs, circling and twisting around each other in a deadly dance.

A split second was all it took. Adachi sidestepped another gunshot, leaving himself wide open. Souji couldn't twist his blade fast enough to slice, so he settled for slamming the hilt into Adachi's chin, stunning the man and knocking his head back. Izanagi mimicked, though he brought his blade across Magetsu Izanagi's torso. Adachi's grip on his gun loosened, enough to Souji to break it with a strike from the flat side of his blade. As Adachi brought his head back Souji blocked the strike from the knife, then brought his knee into Adachi's gut. Souji felt a few ribs crack and a few drops of blood flew out of the former detective's mouth. Izanagi finished by stabbing Magetsu Izanagi through the heart with his blade. The combined damage of Persona and user was too much, and Adachi fell. Magetsu Izanagi shattered into red and black shards that dissipated into nothing and the dark aura around Adachi fell, turning his eyes back to their normal hue.

"Damn you, you brat." Adachi hissed, glaring as Souji knelt down beside him, exhaustion taking him.

"Face it Adachi, I beat you." Souji said, stabbing his sword into the ground to keep up.

"Not yet you haven't." Adachi reached out and gripped his knife, but before he could hold it up, he felt a hot barrel pushed against his forehead.

"Don't. Even. Think about it." Souji said in a threatening tone.

"What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Adachi asked, then his crazed smile returned, "Go ahead, do it."

"Don't tempt me." Souji ground out, his grip on the gun tightening.

"I know you want to. You blame me for everything." Adachi's smile seemed to grow the more he talked, "Yamano's death, the Konishi girl too, she was important to that Hanamura kid wasn't she? Then you sweet little sister Nanako, I put her in that hospital, and she died, maybe temporarily, but she still died. And Dojima's not in any better shape. And Namatame's looking at criminal charges. So from your point of view, everything was because of me."

Souji ground his teeth as he remembered how still Nanako was that moment she died. How helpless he felt and how absolutely angry he was at Namatame. That anger never faded, it just abated for a little and then switched to Adachi.

"Go ahead, pass judgment on me." Adachi taunted, "I'm in your hands, and no one's around."

Souji pushed the barrel harder against Adachi's forehead, his finger running up and down the trigger. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, the more he wanted to pull the trigger. What right did Adachi have to life while Mayumi and Saki were dead? None, he deserved death, he deserved worse. But Souji would settle for death. He slowly pulled back on the trigger.

"Souji, stop."

Souji felt another hand over his, and froze. He knew that voice, that hand. He looked over to see Yukiko standing on Adachi's other side, her face showing obvious signs of crying and her eyes pleading that he do as she say. He looked back to see the rest of his group staring at him, worry and fear in their eyes. His eyes found their way back to Adachi, his crazed smile still in place.

"You beat him Souji, that's enough. He'll pay for his crimes."

"That's not enough." Souji hissed.

"And what is?" Yukiko's grip on his hand tightened, "If you kill him then you'll wind up just like him. Then it'll be you standing against us at this place. And there'll be too much at stake for us to lose."

"What's the matter Souji?" Adachi mocked, "Don't have the cojones to finish what you started?"

Souji pulled the trigger back even farther, at the very edge of firing. He was glaring right into Adachi's eyes. Another hand was put on his shoulder, still Yukiko. Souji chanced a look over and met with her eyes, so worried and fearful. And he was the cause.

"Souji, please just stop." She pleaded.

Souji slammed his eyes shut, wanting so badly to tune everything out. He knew what he wanted to do, and every fiber of his being was telling him he could go through with it. As he felt the seconds tick by, he knew his choice, and he knew he was going to regret it.

Souji moved the gun away from Adachi's forehead.

"You damn brats!" Adachi hissed

But the group ignored him. Yukiko gently took him and led him away from Adachi and back to his friends. The group let out a collective sigh as he sheathed his sword and holstered his gun.

"You're all here later than I expected." Souji commented, "But you came at just the right time."

"What, you expected us to just rip open our letters the second we found them?" Rise asked, crossing her arms to look stern.

"Kinda."

"Give us s'more Souji-senpai." Kanji said, "But that's not what's important right now. What _is_ important is getting you healed up so we can kick your ass."

"… What?" Souji could only stare dumbfounded, and slightly scared, as everyone seemed to take on a dark aura.

"You left us behind to take on Adachi by yourself. It was dangerous, stupid, and completely suicidal." Naoto said, her small stature not having any affect on lessening the threatening presence she gave off, "Just because you're alive doesn't mean you're getting off scott free."

"B-but I just got done fighting a battle, a really hard one." Souji tried to defend.

"That just means you won't be able to fight back as well." Chie smiled darkly.

"T-Teddie." Souji turned to the bear, hoping to find some support.

"I was worried sick Sensei." Teddie growled, preparing his claw.

"Yukiko." Souji subconsciously took a step back, the aura the Amagi girl was giving off was more frightening than the entire group.

"I thought you were going to die." She said harshly, "You told me you loved me through a _voicemail_ and I thought you were going to die." She took a step forward.

"G-guys." Souji said desperately as everyone advanced towards him. He swallowed the lump of fear in his throat.

Suddenly, a presence seemed to appear behind them. Everyone watched as Adachi seemed to become coated in black and rose up off the ground like a puppet being pulled on its strings, his eyes becoming nothing more than yellow spots on his face.

"Can't we ever catch a break?" Yosuke asked as the group passed some restorative items to Souji, preparing him for the undoubtedly upcoming fight.

As he took the restorative items, Souji thought for a moment about himself and Adachi. Inverses, like he said, are similar but different. Different in their choices, similar in that they were both going to pay for what they'd done after everything was done.

-0-

**End**


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